Meet Alexander Vargas, the producer behind our lastest release

Our latest release comes from Palestina, Huila, where producer Alexander Vargas has been growing coffee for most of his life. This Pink Bourbon is tasting bright, clean and super sweet — but what makes it really special is the story behind it.

Alexander started working in coffee at just 13 years old, helping out on his neighbour’s farm. That neighbour was ahead of the curve in specialty coffee, and Alexander learned the craft hands-on: planting trees, pruning, fertilising and picking. It was the start of a lifelong path.

When he turned 20, Alexander got married and inherited two small plots. He planted his own trees there, and slowly began building something he could call his own. After years of saving, he bought 11 hectares of pasture next door to his mentor. Part of it became his family home and wet mill; the rest is now thriving with coffee trees. Today he manages 14 hectares, and even helps nearby farmers by processing their cherries alongside his own.

His farm sits high, around 1,900m, which brings plenty of challenges. Cool temperatures and frequent rain make for delicious, complex coffees, but the cherries can sometimes split and take on water, causing phenolic flavours. To avoid this, Alexander hand-selects cherries and parchment with his team, making sure only clean, high-quality lots make it to the mill. It’s more work, but the results speak for themselves.

This Pink Bourbon undergoes an extended fermentation, fully washed process, bringing out great sweetness and clarity. It’s clean and expressive without being loud — the kind of coffee that makes you stop for a second on your first sip.

All this care has earned Alexander real recognition: he’s a multi-time Cup of Excellence competitor, finishing 7th place in 2021. Not bad for someone who started out picking cherries on a neighbour’s farm.

He’s now looking ahead, re-introducing shade trees like guayacan and cachingo to enrich the soil and improve biodiversity. He also grows yuca, beans and pitaya — partly for his family, partly to support year-round work for his team.

We love this coffee not just for how it tastes, but for everything behind it: the years of patience, the care for the land, and a producer who keeps pushing to do things better.

It’s a genuine pleasure to share Alexander’s work with you. We hope you enjoy it as much as we do.

This coffee is available to pre-order with first orders dispatched from Friday 7th November. Click here to pre-order.